Suction cleaner



H. B. WHITE SUCTION CLEANER Fbh 23, 1932.

I Filed Sept. 12, 1930 suction cleaner. More speci downwardly directed force.

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 i RY B. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, 01: NORTH CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATIONQF omo SUCTION CLEANER,

Application filed September 12, 1930.. Serial No. 481,436.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and in particular to improvements in means for controlling the position of the stationary scraping brush in a cally the invention relates to an improved form of stationary-brush-positioning device for a suction cleaner by which the brush is positioned in both working and storage positions by a In an eflicient suction cleaner it is desirable tohave some form of agitating means to assist the cleaning air which-is drawn into the machine at high velocity, in its cleaning function. A common form of agitating means is a stationary brush positioned either in or behind the cleaner nozzle which contacts and brushes the surface covering undergoing cleaning as the machine is moved thereover. Such a brush extends into or below the plane of the lips of the nozzle mouth when in its working position and is preferably provided With position-controlling means by which it can be lifted upwardly from said plane when it is desired that the cleaning shall be entirely of positioning the scraping brush is an ordinary lever which is pivoted on the cleaner and which is itself positionable in two positions, namely, narily the brush would be up orretracted and if it was desired to place the brush in the workmg position it would be necessary to lift upwardly on the lever. Usually the operator performs this positioning operation with the foot and it has been the teaching of experience that it is objectionable to use theupper surface of the shoe in lifting upwardly on the lever'to place the brush in the working position as is required in such a type of positioning mechanism. 1 The use of the upper shoe surface often results in a scratch on the shoe surface and is not as easily accomplished as is the downward pushon the positioning lever in which the sole of the shoe is used.

In the brush-positioning mechanism constructed in accordance with'the present invention the agitating brush is positioned in both the working and the storage position by performed by air. A common means an up and a down position. Ordi with the lever in the down position a downward push upon the positioning mechanism by the operator. Such a con struction eliminates the aforedescribed undesirable upward pull requiringthe use of the upper part of the shoe'and it has been found ary-agitatin -brushositionin mechanism a: P g

posltioned in both the in which the brush is working and storage position by means of a downward push which may be applied by the foot of the operator.

Referring now to the drawing, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Fig. 1 discloses a suction cleaner with the present invention embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a viewupon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 3 is a 3-3 of Fig. 1

In the drawing and in Fi 1 in particular, a suction cleaner of a mo ern t e is disclosed which comprises a main caslng 1 which encloses the driving motor for the cleaner and which also forms an exhaust air passage partial section upon the line therearound which leads to the exhaust outlet 2 which is provided with suitable means 3 by which a dust bag may be attached. At the forward end of the casing 1 is a unit casting 4 which comprises as in the usual cleaner a suction nozzle 5 and a fan chamber 6 which houses the suction-creating fan which is driven by the motor within the casing 1. The cleaner is movably supported by rear sup porting wheels 7, of which only one is shown, and by means of front supporting wheels 8, 8 which are mounted a-djustably between the suction nozzle 5 and the fan chamber 6 a supporting shaft 9 which is adjustably p'ivupon oted near its two ends on the downwardly and outwardly extending walls 10, 1O whic are positioned at the sides of the castlng 4 and formed integrally on the nozzle 5 and the fan chamber 6 for the purpose of improving the appearance of the machine and for the further purpose of providing such supporting means. A pivoted handle 11 1S provided which is mounted upon the casing and has its position resiliently maintained by means indicated generally by the reference character 12.

Positioned directly behind the nozzle 5 and adapted to be raised and lowered relative to the plane of the nozzle mouth is the stationary agitating brush Brush 13 is shown in Figure 1 in the raised position being supported with its surface-contacting portion raised from the plane of the nozzle mouth by a carrying member 14 whose for ward edge 15 is folded back under and cooperates with suitably downwardly and forwardly projecting lugs 16, 16 etc., to clasp the metallic back 17 of the brush 13. Member 14 is itself supported by rigidly attached arms 18, 18 and together with these members forms a brush-carrying frame which is pivoted by suitable supports 19, 19 within the walls 10, 10. One of the pivotal supports 19 is carried directly by a wall 10 while the support 19 for the other arm 18 is carried by a bracket 20 suitably fastened to the adjacent wall 10 as by rivets 21, 21. But supports 19 are positioned sufficiently below the transverse wheel supporting axle 9 to insure absence of interference upon the adjustment of either the brush or the supporting wheels, or both.

Bracket 20 comprises an upper flat surface 22 which contacts the wall 10 and which is provided with an opening 23 in substantial alinement with an opening 24 in that wall. Carried by this upper wall 22 of bracket 20 and extending upwardly thru the open ing 24 of the wall 10 is a cylindrical cup member 25 provided at its lower end with a bore of reduced diameter, indicated at 26, which serves to provide an upwardly facing cylindrical shoulder 27 within cup 25. A plunger 28 is slidably positioned within the bore 26 in the cup 25 and is at all times urged upwardly by a coil spring 29 which is positioned between the shoulder 27 in cup 25 and the top of the guide 30, carried by plunger 28 at its upper end, which slidingly encloses the outer wall of cup 25. The upward displacement of plunger 28 is limited by means of a pivoted controller member 31 which is carried between the forked lower ends of plunger 28 upon a pin 32 which is itself slidingly positioned within a vertical slot 33 in the vertical portion of the bracket 20. The pin 32 performs the useful function of maintaining member 31 in a single plane thru preventing rotation of the cylindrical plungor 28.

Directly below the plunger 28 and pivoted member 31 is a rotatably mounted member 34 comprising spaced outwardly extending upper arms 35 and 36 which are adapted to be contacted by the lower edge of the pivoted member 31 which is itself formed with inwardly and upwardly directed lower surfaces forming a seat or notch for the purpose of centering either of the arms 35 or 36 with which it makes contact. Circumferentially spaced from the arms 35 and 36 and lower on the rotatable member 34 is still another arm 37 which extends outwardly and which is adapted to contact the extended portion of the adjacent arm 18 of the brush-carrying frame rearwardly of its pivot point 19 where it is provided w1th a cam surface 38 of such character that with the member 34 rotated so that the arm 37 contacts the cam 38 near its front end the arm 18 is permitted, under the influence of gravity, to be pivoted so that the brush 13 is in the low or working position. With the arm 37 on the rearward part of the cam surface 38 of the arm 18 the extended rearward end of the arm is forced downwardly resulting in the pivoting of the arm, and so the entire brush-carrying frame, about the pivot points 19, 19 and the lifting of the surface-contacting brush upwardly from the covering undergoing cleaning.

In order to prevent unintended variations in the position of the arm-carrying cam-contacting member 34 which, as is seen, controls the position of the cam-carrying arms 18 and so the position of the brush, a friction washer .39 is provided at the support of member 34 which insures that no rotation of hat member will occur in the absence 0 a positive force exerted thereon.

In the operation of the brush-positioning mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention upon the exertion of a downward force upon the cup or guide 30, and so the plunger 28, the spring 29 is compressed and the plunger 28 advances downwardly. Member 31, being fixed relative to the member 28 in a vertical plane, advances downwardly with it. Rotation of plunger 28 and controller member 31 about a vertical axis is prevented by the pin 32 which slides vertically in the slot 33 thereby insurmg the making of contact of controller 31 and arm 35 or 36. Continuing downwardly in advance of plunger 28, member 31 finally contacts one of the two arms 35 and 36 carricd by the rotatable member 34, one of said arms being always positioned within the range of the notched under surface or seat of member 31 when it is in the vertical position as it always is upon the beginning of the downward stroke having been so'arranged when ts upper surface was pulled into contact with the flat undersurface of the cup 25 by the spring 29. Upon contact first being those members have reached the bottom of their stroke at which time the removal of the w force-upon the plun er 28 results in the u ward movement thereof under the force exerted by spring 29 and the realinement of the member 31 upon contact with the undersurface of the cup 25. The mechanism is then ready for a re etition of the operation with the difference owever, that the other upper arm on the cam-contacting member 34 would be contacted by the controller 31 this time and member 34 would be rotated in the opposite direction with the resultant change of the position of the arm 37 relative to cam 38 and the consequent alteration in the brush position. I

As shown in Fi re 1 the plunger 28 and controller 31 have ust returned to the initial position after having rotated member .34 through cont cting and forcing the arm 35 to its furthermibst position. Member 31 has just been able to clear the arm 36 of member 34- as it returned to the up position and upon being realined by contact with the underside of cup is so positioned that upon a second downward stroke it will contact, in

its notched lower surface, the arm 36 instead of the arm 35 and will cause member 34 to 1'0- tate in the opposite direction. As illustrat ed in Figure 1, with the member 34'positioned as shown, the arm 37 contacts the cam surface 38 of the pivoted arm 18 near its rear end, displacement from either end of said cam surface is prevented by shoulders at the ends thereof, and the brush 13 has been raised from I the' surface undergoing cleaning. Upon a second push upon the plunger, however, the arm 36 will be rotated clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, by member 31 and the arm 37 would advance forwardly on the cam surface 38 permitting the arm 18 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction resulting in the lowering of the brush 13 into the plane of the lips of the nozzle 5 and so into contact with the surface covering. It is to be noted that the brush-retaining means frame 14 are such that t e brush 13 may be removed and replaced by merely sliding len hwise between the li s 15 and 16, 16 etc. aving clearly descri ed and illustrated the present invention, I claim 1. In a'suction cleaner a surface-scraping brush and means to position said brush in an operative or an inoperative position comprising a movable member supporting said brush,

means to alter the position of said member from any position upon receiving a force in a rovided upon the.

single direction, and means to return said" p'osltloning means to its initial position independently of said member.

2. In a suction cleaner a surface-scraping brush meanssupporting said brush, means for adjusting the position of said supporting means and the brush relative to the cleaner,

.said means comprising means operable only under a uni-directional force adapted to move sa1d supporting means, and means to retain sald supporting means 1n the posltlon to which it has been moved.

3. In a suction cleaner a surfaceescraping brush, a pivoted member supporting said brush, rotatable means carried by said cleaner in operative relation to said pivoted member to adjust angularly said member upon being rotated, and means to rotate said rotatable means,"characterized by the fact that said last mentioned means are operable only under a force in a single direction.

4. In a suction cleaner having a suction nozzle, a brush of the stationary scraping type, means movably su porting said brush relative to the plane 0 the nozzle mouth. manually operable slidable means carried by said cleaner in operative relation with said frame stationary upon the return of said plunger to initial position.

6. Atoolositioning mechanism comprising a mova 1e tool-supporting element, an

- element mounted for linear movement upon the application thereto of a moving force, means resistin ment and forcing said element to return to initial position upon the withdrawal of the said force, a controller member carried by said movable element, a cam-contacting member in the path of said controller member and mounted or rotation upon being contacted by said controller member, and a cam surface on said tool-supporting element in'contact with said cam-contacting member for moving said element upon the rotation of said camcontacting element.

7 A tool-positioning mechanism comprising a pivoted tool-supporting element, an element mounted for linear movement upon the application thereto of a moving force, means resisting the movement of said element and effecting its return to initial position upon any movement of said elethe withdrawal of the said force, a pivoted.

controller member having a seat in its lower surface carried by said movable element, a cam-contacting member rotatably mounted in the path of said controller member and rovided with a plurality of arms adapted to e singly seated against said controller memher for the purpose of rotating said cam-contacting member, and a cam surface formed on said tool-supporting element in contact with said cam-contacting member for pivoting said element upon the rotationoi said cam-contacting member.

Signed at North Canton, in the count of Stark and State of Ohio, this 9th day of cpternber, A. 1930.

HARRY B. WHITE. 

